UCI’s Eyassu Worku drives against Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI’s Collin Welp shoots against Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

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UCI Head Coach Russell Turner yells to his team while playing Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI’s Evan Leonard drives against Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI’s John Edgar Jr. steals the ball from Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI’s Jonathan Galloway shoots against Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI’s Elston Jones shoots against Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI Head Coach Russell Turner yells to his team while playing Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI’s Robert Cartwright drives against Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

The whole UCI lineup on the court is about to change as UCI is down 20 points against Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI’s Collin Welp shoots against Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI Head Coach Russell Turner yells at his team while playing Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI’s Robert Cartwright breaks down court against Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI’s John Edgar Jr. drives against Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI Head Coach Russell Turner watcheshis team playing Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

UCI’s Spencer Rivers drives against Utah State in a nonconference game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at UCI.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

IRVINE — What was supposed to be a matchup between two of the top mid-major programs in the country turned into a humbling experience for the home team on Saturday night.

UC Irvine (7-2) lost to Utah State 89-65 in a game in which the Anteaters never led.

“I don’t remember losing a game that felt that bad at home since I’ve been here,” UCI coach Russell Turner said. “I told the team that after the game. This was one of the most embarrassing performances we’ve had.”

The matchup was supposed to be one of strength versus strength. The Anteaters feature one of the top defenses in the country in the early stages of the season, entering Saturday ranked 29th in points allowed per game and 18th in field-goal percentage defense. Utah State, though, was 34th in the country with 84.7 points per game.

But it wasn’t UCI’s best defensive performance. Utah State shot 52.5 percent from the floor, though the Anteaters limited the visitors’ leading scorer, Sam Merrill, to 17 points, with Eyassu Worku serving as the primary defender on him.

Utah State was getting some easy looks inside early, with starting center Neemias Queta scoring nine of the Aggies’ first 13 points. But a blocked shot by Jonathan Galloway of Utah State guard Dwayne Brown Jr. helped the Anteaters stop some of the damage inside.

If there was a singular problem on defense for UCI, it was second-chance baskets, and rebounding in general. The Aggies grabbed 10 offensive rebounds. John Knight III’s two-handed put-back dunk with 2:26 left in the first half emphasized the problem.

Utah State finished the game with a 41-27 advantage in rebounding. Queta finished with 19 rebounds, and Turner said he felt his team was intimidated by the freshman in the paint.

Worku added: “We’re a rebounding team and we take pride in that. We just got to have grit and toughness even when things aren’t falling on the offensive side.”

And those shots really weren’t falling for UCI.

The Anteaters don’t want to play a high-flying game with lots of shots and possessions for both teams, preferring to grind out most contests. But you still have to be able to score at a respectable clip, and UCI just didn’t do that on Saturday.

The Anteaters mostly spun their wheels on the offensive end of the court. They passed the ball around the perimeter, with occasional attempts to penetrate that were mostly rebuffed by Utah State’s lanky defenders.

When you can’t get consistent looks at the basket, you make it more difficult to get open looks on the perimeter. This was on full display for the Anteaters, who missed their first 11 attempts from 3-point range and finished 1 for 14 from distance, the one make coming with 2:06 left to play.

“We didn’t play with good force,” Turner said. “We didn’t play with strength.”

The combination of UCI’s stalling offense and Utah State’s high-octane one turned combustible for the Anteaters in the second half.

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A steal and layup by Robert Cartwright cut the Utah State lead to 10 just before the intermission, and the Anteaters cut the lead to six shortly after the break.

“I thought that the game was going to be a good game,” Turner said.

But the Aggies then went on a 13-2 run. Merrill found Quinn Taylor for a 3-pointer that gave Utah State a 17-point lead and forced UCI to call timeout.

But the Anteaters would never draw closer than 17, with the disadvantage ballooning up to 26 with 21 seconds to play.

The game was supposed to be about UCI’s defense against the Utah State offense. Instead, it served as a reminder that the Anteaters need to be able to score with the best if they want to be among the best.